Christmas Trees Edition

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Seasonal pest alerts and news about insects, diseases, and weeds impacting Christmas Tree production including Commercial Ag Updates (meetings and marketing); and Pesticide Program updates from the Rutgers Pest Management Office News Blog.

Companion Website Links:

Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.

Nursery IPM.

August 10, 2026

Landscape IPM Walk at the David C. Shaw Arboretum in Holmdel Park

September 3rd, 2026 – 9:00am to 11:30am

Location: 44 Longstreet Rd, Holmdel, NJ 07733

NJ Pesticide License Recertification Credits

  • 3A: TBD
  • 8C: TBD
  • 10: TBD
  • PP2: TBD

Steve Rettke: IPM Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Bill Errickson, PhD: Agriculture Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

This program will provide hands-on experience in IPM best management practices. Participants will tour the ornamental plants of the David C. Shaw Arboretum at Holmdel Park and learn about scouting, monitoring, timing, insect and disease ID for common issues in our area. Safe application of pesticides with a focus on reduced risk materials will also be covered for each pest. The Shaw Arboretum contains specimens of many of the common plant species that green industry professionals work with in the field, making it an ideal environment to learn about proper best management practices for common problems that they may encounter in their operations.

This program is geared towards commercial nursery growers and landscapers.

Space is limited.

Pre-registration is required: $25 (cash, check, or purchase order)

Please RSVP to reserve your spot.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

732-431-7260

Catherine.vanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

 

Hosted by the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth and Cumberland County

 

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery Tagged With: , , , ,
August 7, 2026

Farming Twilight Meeting

October 22, 2026
6:00PM – 8:30 PM

Location:
1076 Seahorse Winery
Seashore Road
Cape May NJ  08204

 

Program

6:00 PM – Registration / Light Refreshments

6:15 PM – Welcome – Claudia Gil Arroyo, County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of
Cape May County; Rutgers NJAES

6:20 PM – James Shope, PhD., Assistant Extension Specialist in Climate Services
Department of Environmental Sciences, SEBS, New Brunswick; Rutgers NJAES

6:50 PM – Joseph Heckman, PhD., Extension Specialist – Soil Fertility, Department of Plant Biology, SEBS, New Brunswick; Rutgers NJAES

7:20 PM – David Hlubik, Burlington County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of
Burlington County; Rutgers NJAES

7:50 PM – Patrick McMullen, County Agent III, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic
County; Commercial Vegetable Production; Rutgers NJAES

 

Light refreshments will be served.

The following pesticide recertification credits will be awarded:

Please RSVP by October 20, 2025:
Jocelyn Shillingford 609-465-5115 ext. 3607 or capemayag@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
July 24, 2026

Rutgers Ornamental IPM Webinar Featuring Guest Speaker Joe Boggs

Join us for the next session of the 2026 Rutgers Ornamental IPM Webinar Series

Tuesday, July 28th 12pm to 1pm.

The Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program hosts free live webinars on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from April through September.

The next session will feature Live IPM Updates for Green Industry Professionals and a presentation by Joe Boggs, Assistant Professor at Ohio State University Extension, on Taking Pictures for Insect Identification. https://bygl.osu.edu/node/51

All webinars are recorded and the slideshows can be downloaded for reference.

Here is the link for the recording of our last session on 7/14/26 featuring Live Pest Updates and a presentation by Paul Kurtz from NJDA speaking on Oak Diseases https://rutgers.zoom.us/rec/share/g7qt5jzed2o-vMK7YBT80vNTrlBStZ5XBFRce0GHEKyFIcvivtVDTNcKE1Diw0A-.IDvT98ltArj5T72O

Passcode: bq4UzSs#

The printable slides can be accessed here:  https://go.rutgers.edu/furqrefl

Or by scanning this QR code:

 

Visit the Rutgers Nursery IPM Website to sign up for this free program if you are not already enrolled: https://sites.rutgers.edu/nursery-ipm/

Please keep sending us your insect/disease photos and communicating what you are seeing in the field. We appreciate it and it helps everyone out!

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , ,
July 13, 2026

Fillable Forms Now Requested by NJDEP Pesticide Control for Worker Protection Standards Training

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Pesticide Control Program is asking farmers to now use the fillable rosters for the required Worker Protection Standards training for both the “Handler” and “Worker” categories. Please see the correspondence from NJDEP PCP at the end of this article. The Handler rosters are the only rosters required to be sent to DEP after training workers as pesticide handlers. The Worker rosters are to be kept on file on the farm. Handler rosters must be sent to NJDEP within 30 days of training.

Fillable Handler Form https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/pesticides/bpc/wps/handler.pdf

Fillable Worker Form https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/pesticides/bpc/wps/worker.pdf

To contact NJDEP Pesticide Control Program, their address, phone and email are below:

Address: NJDEP Pesticide Control Program, 401 East State Street, Mail Code 401-04A, P.O. Box 420
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420

Phone: 609-984-6568

Email: wpspesticides@dep.nj.gov

Email correspondence received from NJDEP PCP on July 8, 2026:

Dear Growers,

To help us accurately review and process your handler training records, we ask that you please use the fillable Handler Training forms when documenting employee training.

Using the fillable forms ensures that employee names and other information are clear and legible when submitted. Handwritten forms can sometimes be difficult to read, which may delay the review process or require us to request additional information.

 Please also note that fillable Worker Roster forms are available. Both the Handler Training forms and Worker Roster forms can be found on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Bureau of Pesticide Control website at https://dep.nj.gov/pesticides/compliance-enforcement/worker-protection/#agricultural-worker-protection-standard-guide.

 Although the forms are fillable, handlers and workers must still sign the forms after completing the training.

 We appreciate your cooperation in using these fillable forms for all future submissions. If you have any questions or need assistance accessing the forms, please let us know.

 Thank you for your continued cooperation.

 NJDEP Bureau of Pesticide Control

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf Tagged With: , , ,
June 15, 2026

Landscape IPM Walk at Deep Cut Gardens

Formal garden

June 30, 2026 – 9:00am to 11:00am

Location: Deep Cut Gardens, 152 Red Hill Rd., Middletown Township, NJ 07748

NJ Pesticide License Recertification Credits

  • 3A: 4
  • 8C: 4
  • 10: 4
  • PP2: 4

This program will provide hands-on experience in IPM best management practices. Participants will tour the ornamental plants of Deep Cut Gardens and learn about scouting, monitoring, timing, insect and disease ID for common issues in our area. Safe application of pesticides with a focus on reduced risk materials will also be covered for each pest. Deep Cut Gardens contains specimens of many of the common plant species that green industry professionals work with in the field, making it an ideal environment to learn about proper best management practices for common problems that they may encounter in their operations. Boxwoods, roses, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous annual and perennial species will be covered. Landscape IPM Walk at Deep Cut Gardens Flyer

This program is geared towards commercial nursery growers and landscapers and will be led by:

  • Steve Rettke: IPM Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
  • Bill Errickson, PhD: Agriculture Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

 

Space is limited.

Pre-registration is required: $25 (cash, check, or purchase order)

Please RSVP to reserve your spot.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County

732-431-7260

Catherine.vanBenschoten@co.monmouth.nj.us

 

Hosted by the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth and Cumberland County

 

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery Tagged With: , , ,
May 28, 2026

Scale crawlers, updated 2026 scouting guide, IPM webinars, Box tree moth

Educational Resource Update: 

Stay informed

  • Sign up for the 2026 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program – click here to sign up
  • Program is free, but registration is required – Registration includes:
    • Site visit to your ornamental nursery/farm from Rutgers agents
    • Delivered printed IPM resources (Guides, factsheets, bulletins)
    • Free pheromone & sticky trap kit + guidance on setup/monitoring (for commercial nursery/greenhouse and Christmas tree farms)
    • Access to live bi-weekly webinars (Zoom)
    • (Next session – TUESDAY 6/9 @ 12PM) – Guest Speaker Dr. Richard Cowles – Connecticut Ag Exp. Station – Scale Management 
    • Every Second and Fourth, Tuesday, April through September
  • Visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website (click here) for updated webinar videos.

Scale crawler emergence predictions throughout NJ. 

Now is an excellent time to be scouting for crawler emergence using double sided (or doubled over – sticky side out) tape. Targeting scale insects is most successful during their crawler periods, however this should be visually confirmed for greatest efficacy. For more information on installing this type of IPM trap and others please see – Setting up and deploying IPM traps – Tutorial Video 2026 (click here).

Common Name GDD RANGE Target Stage SOUTH – Upper Deerfield (NJ50) CENTRAL – Howell (NJ10) NORTH – Randolph NJ (AU137)
MIN MAX START STOP START STOP START STOP
Cottony camellia / taxus scale (soft) 520 – Crawlers (only) 17-May – 20-May – 18-May –
Euonymus scale 533 820 Crawlers (Gen 1) 18-May 3-Jun 21-May 8-Jun 18-May 7-Jun
*Cryptomeria scale 600 800 Crawlers (Gen 1) 20-May 2-Jun 27-May 7-Jun 24-May 6-Jun
*Sprucebud scale (soft) 700 1150 Crawlers (only) 27-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
White prunicola scale 707 1151 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
*Juniper scale 707 1260 Crawlers (Gen 1) 28-May 18-Jun 2-Jun 24-Jun 30-May 25-Jun
Calico scale (soft) 714 – Crawlers (only) 28-May – 2-Jun – 31-May –
Striped pine scale (soft) 750 800 Crawlers (only) 30-May 2-Jun 4-Jun 7-Jun 2-Jun 6-Jun
Oak lecanium scale (soft) 789 – Crawlers (only) 1-Jun – 6-Jun – 5-Jun –
Cottony maple leaf scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Cottony maple scale (soft) 802 1265 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Golden oak scale (Pit) 802 1266 Crawlers (only) 2-Jun 23-Jun 7-Jun 29-Jun 6-Jun 30-Jun
Japanese maple scale 829 – Crawlers (Gen 1) 3-Jun – 9-Jun – 7-Jun –
European elm scale (soft) 831 1388 Crawlers (only) 4-Jun 27-Jun 9-Jun 4-Jul 8-Jun 6-Jul
European fruit lecanium scale (soft) 932 1645 Crawlers (only) 9-Jun 7-Jul 14-Jun 14-Jul 14-Jun 17-Jul

*Conifer / Christmas Tree scales

Please visit the Rutgers Ornamental IPM Website – Pest and Disease Index (click here) for more detailed information on specific scale species management and pesticide considerations.

Box tree moth – stay vigilant looking for this pest

Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is alive and well in MD, DE, VA, WV, NY, OH, MI, MA. Please report this pest to twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

If this pest does make its way into New Jersey, and quarantines are established, nurseries will be required to comply with a federal compliance agreement if shipping out of potential quarantine areas. Please review this document if boxwoods are an important crop for you. Compliance Agreement for Production Nurseries in BTM Regulated Nurseries (click here)

Box tree moth caterpillars. Photo credit: USDA.

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,